LIGHTWEIGHT

SAFE STRONG

PET Basics
RECYCLED CONTENT

FEATURES, BENEFITS & INFORMATION RESOURCES

RECYCLABLE

National Association for PET Container Resources

www.napcor.com

SHATTERPROOF

VERSATILE TRANSPARENT

> PET Basics - Introduction

POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE

When it comes down to it, the essential role of a package is to protect the product it contains, delivering it safely, with all of its features and benets intact. The PET package does this and much more.

Contents
- Suitable for Varied Use........................................................................... 2 - Modern Convenience & Innovation........................................................ 3 - Inherent Barrier Properties..................................................................... 4 - Lightweight.............................................................................................. 5 - PET Recycling......................................................................................... 6 - Potential Obstacles to Recycling/Design for Recycling...................... 10 - PET Safety............................................................................................ 11 - Other Studies and Resources.............................................................. 12 - NAPCOR Member Resources (graphs, charts, tables, links)

This document can be found on-line in pdf format with live links at www.napcor.com/PET/whatispet.html For more about NAPCOR, its mission and members, visit www.napcor.com

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 1

> PET Basics - Suitable for Varied Use

is a transparent, lightweight, strong, safe, PET shatterproof and recyclable packaging material with an inherent barrier, making it suitable for a wide array of product applications.

SUITABLE FOR VARIED USE

packages are made in two ways: blow molded PET to create bottles (and other narrow mouth containers), or thermoformed from sheet (to create items such as clamshell produce or bakery containers).

BLOW MOLDED

PET container types include:

bottles cups take-out containers

Products packaged in PET include:

water carbonated soft drinks juice ketchup salad dressing peanut butter fresh produce baked goods frozen foods beauty & household products beer, wine and spirits and many other food and non-food items
THERMOFORMED

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 2

> PET Basics - Modern Convenience & Innovation

MODERN CONVENIENCE & INNOVATION

is a shatterproof, safe package option for both PET home and away-from-home applications.

is easy to store, carry, clean up and re-seal, making PET it the ideal package to accommodate active lifestyles. is easy to work with, allowing for new and innovative PET package design. Offers customer choice for a wide variety  f applications, including salad dressings, pasta sauce,  o peanut butter, ketchup, wine and beer.

UNBREAKABLE

The U.K.s Marks & Spencer stores announced plans to switch all of their single-serve wine bottles from glass to PET in May of 2010 to meet consumer demand for lighter, unbreakable bottles; the retail giant estimates a savings of 525 tons of packaging a year. The switch from glass to PET for products ranging from beer to salad dressings, peanut butter to mayonnaise, picked up steam in the late 1990s and continues today as PET technology improves, and new PET packaging options offer a solid mix of performance, cost, and consumer appeal. PET offers a shatterproof, lighter option to achieve brand differentiation and consumer safety and convenience, including the distinctive Martinellis apple juice bottle; Sun-Pat peanut butter (newly released in curvy PET containers for a 90% packaging weight reduction); and the 67-ounce Campbells Prego pasta sauce.
LIGHTER
NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 3

> PET Basics - Inherent Barrier Properties

has good barrier properties that protect and PET preserve the contents of its package. Different technologies can further enhance PETs inherent barrier properties and offer greater protection to the natural properties of packaged products against oxygen migration and carbon dioxide. These barrier enhancing technologies include oxygen scavenger additives, multi-layers, silicon oxide (glass) coatings, and carbon coatings.

INHERENT BARRIER PROPERTIES

all resins (including bio resins) have inherent barrier Not properties or the versatility to be enhanced. For example, PLA is considerably more porous than PET, allowing water  vapor to escape over the course of the day at a ratio of  approximately 17 to 1, as compared to PET; PLA is not  suitable for many of the products packaged in PET. transmission is an important factor in ensuring Oxygen product shelf-life and freshness. PET provides almost nine  times more protection against oxygen transmission than  does PLA and over 40 times more than HDPE.

MORE FIZZ

Barriers in Packaging are Important Because Without Them.....

A carbonated soft drink may lose its CO2 Juice will lose Vitamin C Liquid product will evaporate slowly through container Oxygen-sensitive foods, such as ketchup, will not retain  proper color and freshness

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 4

> PET Basics - Lightweight

LESS FUEL

is lightweight so products packaged in PET can PET be packed and shipped efciently, enabling lighter secondary packaging, and reducing fuel requirements and greenhouse gas emissions during transport. PETs unique geometric properties mean there are more potential opportunities for light-weighting efciencies.

LIGHTWEIGHT
maximize these efciencies and use less plastic resin To per package, PET manufacturers continue to make their packages lighter when its possible to do so while maintaining package strength and integrity.

Historical Lightweighting .5 Liter Water Bottles

30

25

20

Grams

15

Example Bottle 1 Example Bottle 2

10

1990

1992 1995 2000

2001

2002 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Source: NAPCOR

Year

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 5

> PET Basics - PET Recyclling

PET is the most widely recycled plastic in the world.

RECYCLING
recycling infrastructure for PET is well-established, The from widespread collection and separation to further processing and end use.
PET can be recycled multiple times. Virtually all recycling programs in the U.S. accept PET containers The first PET bottle was recycled in 1977. In 2009, PET had a U.S. recycling rate of 28%. 1.4 billion pounds of PET were recycled in 2009; 937 million pounds of recycled PET material was used in U.S. and Canadian end products.
PET Reclamation Capacity and US RPET bottle supply
1600 1400 1200 1000 MMlbs 800 600
Capacity

400 200 0
95 97 99 01 03 05 07 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 09

US Bottles recycled

Source: NAPCOR

Year

Investment in U.S. reclamation assets is expected to exceed $300 million over the next few years.
NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 6

> PET Basics - PET Recyclling

is working actively to overcome obstacles to  NAPCOR the recovery and reclamation of PET thermoforms. PET hermoform manufacturers are using increasing amounts t of recycled PET in their packaging, up to 100%. 
RPET Used (MMlbs) by Category (US and Canada)
1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 09

Other Non-Food Bottles Food & Beverage Bottles Engineered Resin Strapping Sheet & Film Fiber

Source: NAPCOR

for recycled PET is high and curtailed by  Demand supply; more content would be used in a variety of  end uses if supply were available.

The 2009 Report on Post Consumer PET Container Recycling Activity shows a 44% increase in use of RPET   for the Food & Beverage Bottle category over 2008; and a 22% increase overall in packaging applications.  See Report at http://www.napcor.com/PET/pet_reports.html

PET is being recycled into a  wide variety of end products including: ber, berll,   carpeting, strapping, food and non-food bottles, and   thermoformed PET packaging, such as cups and take-out   containers.

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 7

> PET Basics - PET Recyclling

Life Cycle Inventory Study (2010) results show that for every pound of recycled PET flake used, energy use is reduced by 84%; greenhouse gas emissions by 71%.

The recycling of PET results in the following advantages:

Conservation of raw materials reduces the need for virgin petrochemical feedstock Less energy is required when converting recycled PET to a virgin equivalent, whether ake or pellet. Less energy use results in less greenhouse gas emissions

Comparison of Virgin PET to Varying Levels of Recycled PET: Energy

35
31.92

30
25.22 25.80

25 20 KBtu/lb 15
11.81 13.55 19.68

18.52

Energy Material Resources Transportation Process

10
7.43

5.11

100% Virgin PET

100% RPET Flake

100% RPET Pellet

75% RPET Flake

75% RPET Pellet

50% RPET Flake

50% RPET Pellet

25% RPET Flake

25% RPET Pellet

Source: Final Report LCI of 100% Postconsumer HDPE and PET Recycled Resin From Postconsumer Containers and Packaging April 7, 2010. GWP for Methane is 25, for N2O is 298, PER IPCC 2007

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> PET Basics - PET Recyclling

Comparison of Virgin PET to Varying Levels of Recycled PET: GHG Emissions

3.0
2.80 2.40 2.30 1.99 1.80 1.59 Nitrus Oxide Methane Carbon Dioxide

2.5

2.0

lb of CO2e/lb PET kg of CO2e/kg

1.5
1.18

1.31

1.0

.81

0.5

0.0

100% Virgin PET

100% RPET Flake

100% RPET Pellet

75% RPET Flake

75% RPET Pellet

50% RPET Flake

50% RPET Pellet

25% RPET Flake

25% RPET Pellet

Source: Final Report LCI of 100% Postconsumer HDPE and PET Recycled Resin From Postconsumer Containers and Packaging April 7, 2010. GWP for Methane is 25, for N2O is 298, PER IPCC 2007

For more information and full scope of the LCI study

http://www.napcor.com/pdf/FinalReport_LCI_Postconsumer_PETandHDPE.pdf

For additional charts showing energy use and GHG impacts for pellet and different measurements http://www.napcor.com/pdf/NAPCOR_LCIcharts.pdf (For additional Life Cycle Study links, go to page 12.)

The term Recyclable is dened in the context of environmental marketing claims by the Federal Trade Commission. For the FTC Green Guides on this and other issues, visit http://ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides980427.htm For NAPCORs position on recyclability, see http://www.napcor.com/PET/positions.html

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 9

> PET Basics - Potential Obstacles to Recycling/Design for Recycling

Contaminants in the PET recycling stream:

PET with non-compatible materials Other resins, including OPS, PVC and PETG Polylactic acid (PLA) and other bio-based resins Non-compatible packaging components, e.g., PVC caps and labels

POTENTIAL OBSTACLES TO PET RECYCLING

Degradable additives are added to a primary resin such as PET. Manufacturers using degradable additives in their packaging have not provided adequate data to support claims that these additives do not negatively impact PET recycling, or the life-span and performance of products made from recycled PET, nor is there sufcient evidence of actual package degradability. For NAPCORs positions on degradable additives and PLA mixed in with PET recycling stream, visit http://www.napcor.com/PET/positions.html
For further information on degradable additives: APR- http://www.plasticsrecycling.org/images/stories/doc/documents/ DegradableProtocolRelease.pdf EPA - http://www.epa.gov/osw/wycd/catbook/debate.htm Coca-Colas Dasani water PlantBottle is not a contaminant to PET. The PlantBottle is PET, but 30% of the raw material used to make the PET molecule is derived from plant material; in its nal form, the PlantBottle is no different from a traditionally manfactured PET container and can be successfully recycled along with all other PET bottles. Other brand companies are exploring similar technologies.
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/plantbottle.html

Design for Recycling Guidelines:

Developed for PET and HDPE by The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) to provide guidance on recycling compatibility for new packaging innovations; guidance documents include both containers and peripherals such as closures and labels. Critical Guidance and Applications Guidance documents are available on the  APR web site.
http://www.plasticsrecycling.org/technical-resources/design-for-recyclability-guidelines

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 10

> PET Basics - Safety

is approved as safe for food and beverage contact PET by the FDA and similar regulating agencies throughout the world and has been for over 30 years. itself is biologically inert if ingested, is dermally PET safe during handling, and is not a hazard if inhaled, according to the International Life Sciences Institute Report Packaging Materials 1. Polyethylene Terephthalate PET for Food Packaging Applications (2000).
http://www.napcor.com/pdf/ILSI_Report.pdf

SAFETY
does not use Bisphenol A in its manufacturing and PET does not contain endocrine disruptors, ortho phthalates (sometimes referred to as plasticizers), or dioxins. does not contain heavy metals (Mercury, Lead, PET Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium). Antimony oxide, not metallic antimony, is often used as a catalyst in the manufacture of PET. Antimony oxides low toxicity, combined with its very low occurrence in PET manufacture, means very, very low risk. Its use in PET does not endanger workers, consumers or the environment.

For additional information on antimony, BPA, benzene and other PET safety topics, http://www.napcor.com/PET/pet_faqs.html

NAPCOR - PET Features, Benets & Information Resources 11

> PET Basics - Other Studies and Resources

Other Studies and Resources

Cradle-To-Gate Life Cycle Inventory of Nine Plastic Resins and  Four Polyurethane Precursors http://www.napcor.com/pdf/LCI9Resins2010.pdf Life Cycle Inventory of Three Single Serve Soft Drink Containers http://www.petresin.org/pdf/FranklinLCISodaContainers2009.pdf LCI Study for PLA and PET 12-ounce Water Bottles http://www.petresin.org/pdf/FranklinPETPLAlifecycleanal_12-oz.pdf Husky Injection Molding Systems CSD and Wine Packaging Comparison Study http://www.napcor.com/pdf/HuskySummaryCSDWineNPE.pdf Plastics Europe Eco-proles Report (PET) http://www.napcor.com/pdf/PlasticsEuropeEco-profilePET.pdf

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